U.S. patent number 4,114,898 [Application Number 05/848,291] was granted by the patent office on 1978-09-19 for oil seal with permanently deformable locking member.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Garlock Inc.. Invention is credited to Dean R. Bainard, Roger W. Wright.
United States Patent |
4,114,898 |
Bainard , et al. |
September 19, 1978 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Oil seal with permanently deformable locking member
Abstract
An oil seal, the combination thereof with a housing bore, and a
method for installing the oil seal. This invention relates to
applications where minimal radial force may be exerted against a
housing bore and where the seal must be positively retained in the
bore. The oil seal includes a shell having a locking member
deformable radially outwardly, and an elastomeric sealing element
bonded to the shell and including a face gasket for providing an
O.D. seal when the locking member is deformed outwardly into an
annular retaining groove in a housing bore. The seal is positively
retained in the bore while exerting only minimal radial force
against the bore while using less expensive cold rolled steel for
the shell as contrasted to the more expensive spring steel required
for snap-locking shells.
Inventors: |
Bainard; Dean R. (Bethel
Township, York County, SC), Wright; Roger W. (Kings
Mountain, NC) |
Assignee: |
Garlock Inc. (Rochester,
NY)
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Family
ID: |
24687241 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/848,291 |
Filed: |
November 3, 1977 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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669669 |
Mar 23, 1976 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
277/551; 277/568;
277/925 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16J
15/3268 (20130101); Y10S 277/925 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F16J
15/32 (20060101); F16J 015/32 () |
Field of
Search: |
;277/1,9,9.5,10,11,35,37,50,152,153,164,178,179,189 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Ward, Jr.; Robert S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Schovee & Boston
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 669,669, filed Mar.
23, 1976, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An annular shaft seal of the type having a slip fit in a housing
bore comprising:
(a) an annular shell including means for positively retaining the
seal in a bore, said retaining means including a substantially
cylindrical, substantially straight, axially elongated O.D. locking
member extending axially outwardly and having a free distal end
terminating in an axially outwardly facing locking surface, said
locking member being permanently deformable radially outwardly,
after said seal has been inserted into a housing bore, from a
smaller O.D. to a larger O.D. such that it can be moved radially
outwardly into a locking groove of a bore to positively retain the
seal in a bore; and
(b) an elastomeric sealing element bonded to said shell and
including an annular face gasket extending axially inwardly, said
gasket being located axially inwardly from said locking member such
that it can provide an O.D. seal for said annular shaft seal.
2. The seal according to claim 1 wherein said locking member
comprises a plurality of separate fingers.
3. The seal according to claim 1 wherein said locking member
comprises a solid annular ring.
4. The seal according to claim 1 wherein said shell and locking
member are made of cold-rolled steel.
5. The seal according to claim 1 wherein said shell includes a
central section, an inner flange extending radially inwardly from
one end of said central section and an outer flange extending
radially outwardly from the other end of said central section, and
wherein said locking member extends axially outwardly from the
radially outer end of said outer flange and wherein said gasket is
bonded to the axially inner radial face of said outer flange.
6. The seal according to claim 5 wherein said locking member
comprises a plurality of separate fingers.
7. The seal according to claim 6 wherein said shell and locking
member are made of cold-rolled steel.
8. The seal according to claim 5 wherein said inner flange extends
radially inwardly from the axially outer end of said central
section and said outer flange extends radially outwardly from the
axially inner end of said central section and wherein said
elastomeric sealing element includes at least one sealing lip.
9. The seal according to claim 8 wherein said central section is
conical, tapering to a smaller diamter axially outwardly and
wherein said elastomeric sealing element includes a dust lip
axially outwardly from said inner flange and wherein said sealing
lip is axially inwardly from said inner flange, and wherein said
elastomeric sealing element includes elastomeric material extending
along the radially inner surface of said central section from said
gasket to said lips.
10. An apparatus comprising :
(a) a housing having a bore and an annular undercut locking groove
in said bore with an I.D. greater than the I.D. of said bore and
with a bore face at the axially inner end of said groove and a
locking shoulder at the axially outer end of said groove; and
(b) an annular shaft seal mounted with a slip fit in said bore and
comprising:
(1) an annular shell including means for positively retaining the
seal in a bore, said retaining means including a substantially
cylindrical, substantially straight, axially elongated O.D. locking
member extending axially outwardly and having a free distal end
terminating in an axially outwardly facing locking surface and
being permanently deformable radially outwardly, after said seal
has been inserted into a housing bore, from a smaller O.D. to a
larger O.D. such that it can be moved radially outwardly into said
locking groove with said locking surface abutting said locking
shoulder to positively retain said seal in said bore; and
(2) an elastomeric sealing element bonded to said shell and
including an annular face gasket extending axially inwardly, said
gasket being located axially inwardly from said locking member, and
the distance between said distal end of said locking member and the
axially inner surface of said gasket in its uncompressed state
being greater than the axial length of said locking groove, said
gasket being compressed such that said gasket and locking member
are both located within said locking groove with said gasket
providing an O.D. seal against said bore face, and said locking
member being deformed radially outwardly to an O.D. larger than the
I.D. of said bore and with said locking surface abutting against
said shoulder and positively retaining said seal in said bore.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said locking member
comprises a plurality of separate fingers.
12. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said locking member
comprises a solid annular ring.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said shell and
locking member are made of cold-rolled steel.
14. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said shell includes
an outer flange extending radially outwardly and wherein said
locking member extends axially outwardly from the radially outer
end of said outer flange and wherein said gasket is bonded to the
axially inner radial face of said outer flange.
15. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein: said shell has a
central section, an inner flange extending radially inwardly from
the axially outer end of the central section, and an outer flange
extending radially outwardly from the axially inner end of the
central section; wherein said locking flange extends axially
outwardly from the radially outer end of the outer flange; wherein
said sealing element includes a sealing lip, and wherein said
gasket is bonded to the axially inner radial face of said outer
flange.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said locking member
comprises a plurality of separate fingers.
17. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said central
section is conical, tapering to a smaller diameter axially
outwardly and wherein said elastomeric sealing element includes a
dust lip axially outwardly from said inner flange and wherein said
sealing lip is axially inwardly from said inner flange, and wherein
said elastomeric sealing element includes elastomeric material
extending along the radially inner surface of said central section
from said gasket to said lips.
18. The seal according to claim 2 wherein said fingers are
spaced-apart.
19. The seal according to claim 8 wherein said fingers are
spaced-apart.
20. An annular shaft seal comprising:
(a) an annular shell having an O.D. locking member extending
axially outwardly and having a distal end terminating in an axially
outwardly facing locking surface, said locking member being
permanently deformable radially outwardly from a smaller O.D. to a
larger O.D. such that it can be moved radially outwardly into a
locking groove of a bore to positively retain the seal in a bore;
and
(b) a sealing element connected to said shell and an annular face
gasket also connected to said shell and being located axially
inwardly from said locking member such that it can provide an O.D.
seal for said annular shaft seal.
21. The seal according to claim 20 wherein said shell includes an
outer flange extending radially outwardly and wherein said locking
member extends axially outwardly from the radially outer end of
said outer flange and wherein said gasket is connected to the
axially inner radial face of said outer flange.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to oil seals of the type having locking
means for positively retaining the seal in a bore and for exerting
only minimal radial force against the bore.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Different types of prior art seals are known having means for
positively retaining the seal in a bore and for exerting only
minimal radial force against the bore. However, such prior art
seals are all subject to various disadvantages such as requiring
the use of spring steel for the annular reinforcing shell of the
oil seal for providing the flexible snap retaining means (see U.S.
Pat. No. 3,075,779 for example).
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an oil
seal having locking means which exerts minimal radial force against
the bore and which also positively retains the seal in the bore,
and which accomplishes both of these advantages at minimum
cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An oil seal, an apparatus including the combination of a housing
and the oil seal mounted in a bore of the housing, and a method for
installing an oil seal in the housing bore, wherein the oil seal
includes an annular shell having an outer locking member extending
axially outwardly and being deformable radially outwardly from a
smaller O.D. to a larger O.D., and an elastomeric sealing element
bonded to the shell and having an annular face gasket extending
axially inwardly. The housing bore includes an annular undercut
locking groove in the bore with a bore face at the axially inner
end of the groove. The oil seal is inserted into the bore as a slip
fit and an installation tool is then forced axially against the
locking means compressing the gasket against the bore face until
the distal end of the locking means moves past the front edge of
the groove (provided with a locking shoulder) at which time further
inward movement of the installation tool deforms the locking member
radially outwardly into the locking groove. In this way, the oil
seal is positively retained in the bore while exerting only minimal
radial force against the bore. The locking means also maintains the
face gasket against the bore face providing an O.D. seal for the
oil seal. The locking means is preferably cold rolled steel
including a plurality of separate spaced-apart fingers. The use of
the cold rolled steel provides a cost advantage over the prior art
use of spring steel for snap-in type locking devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to
the following detailed description thereof, when read in
conjunction with the attached drawing wherein:
FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an oil seal according
to the present invention as it is being installed in a housing
bore;
FIG. 2 is an identical view to FIG. 1 except that it shows the oil
seal of the present invention as installed in the housing bore;
FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view of the shell of FIG. 1 showing
the locking member of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing another embodiment of
the locking member of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show an oil seal
2 according to the present invention for use between a bore 4 of a
housing 6 and a shaft 8. The seal 2 is installed by means of an
installation tool 10.
The oil seal 2 comprises an annular metal shell 12 and an
elastomeric sealing element 14 bonded to the shell 12. The sealing
element 14 includes a face gasket 16, a sealing lip 18 with a
garter spring 20, as is known in the art, and a dust lip 22. The
shell 12 includes a central section 24, an inner flange 26
extending radially inwardly from the axially outer end of the
central section 24 (in the application shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the
vertically downward direction is the axially outer direction of the
application while the vertically upward direction is the axially
inner direction), an outer flange 28 extending radially outwardly
from the axially inner end of the central section 24, and a locking
member 30. The locking member 30 comprises a single annular ring 31
(as best shown in FIG. 3). The locking member 30 can alternatively
comprise a plurality of separate spaced-apart fingers 32 as shown
in FIG. 4.
The seal 2 is installed in the application as shown in FIG. 1 and 2
by inserting it as a slip fit into the bore 4 and then forcing it
axially inwardly with the installation tool 10. In accordance with
the present invention, the bore 4 (in this application the bore 4
is a counter-bore) is provided with an annular undercut locking
groove 34 having a bore face 36 at the axially inner end thereof
and a locking shoulder 37 at the axially outer end thereof. As
shown in FIG. 1, the distance between the distal end 38 of the
locking member 30 and the axially inner surface 40 of the face
gasket 16 is a predetermined distance that is greater than the
axial length of the locking groove 34. During installation, after
the gasket 16 contacts the bore face 36, further movement inwardly
of the installation tool causes the gasket 16 to be compressed
until the distal end 38 of the locking member 30 extends inwardly
beyond the locking shoulder 37 at the axially outer end of the
groove 34, at which time the tool 10, by virtue of the tapered
angle or chamfered surface 44 causes the ring 31 to be deformed
radially outwardly into the groove 34. The locking member 30 has a
locking face 46 which when in locking position, as shown in FIG. 2
is transverse to the seal axis. The face 46 in FIG. 1 is thus at an
acute angle to the oil seal axis in the direction facing axially
outwardly, to ensure that it will lock against the locking face 37.
The material of the locking member 30 is a permanently deformable
material, such as cold rolled steel, as contrasted with a flexible
or resilient material such as spring steel. In this way, once the
locking member 30 is deformed radially outwardly to a larger O.D.
than the I.D. of the bore 4, the oil seal 2 will be positively
retained in the bore since the locking member 30 cannot of its own
accord move back radially inwardly to its original position. The
term "permanently deformable" is defined to mean this type of
non-resilient, non-flexible movement of the locking member 30. The
term "locking member" is hereby defined for use in the present
specification and claims to means a member that can positively
retain the seal in a bore. The term "axially outward" means in the
direction axially away from the fluid being sealed and "axially
inward" means the direction toward the fluid. Thus, during
installation, the seal 2 is moved axially inwardly.
As mentioned briefly above, FIG. 4 shows an alternative locking
member in the form of a plurality of fingers 32 in place of the
solid annular ring 31.
The invention has been described in detail with particular
reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be
understood that variations and modifications can be effected within
the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and
as defined in the appended claims. For example, the bore 4 need not
be a counter-bore but can be of the same I.D. as the housing bore
accommodating the shaft 8, although in such case the face gasket 16
would have to be positioned radially outwardly from its position
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that it would contact the rear face of
the groove 34 to provide the O.D. seal after the locking member has
been deformed into the groove 34. Further, the oil seal 2 can be of
any desired shape and need not be the particular shape shown in the
drawings. For example, the central section 24 can extend axially
inwardly from the outer flange rather than axially outwardly.
Further, the central section 24 need not be conical tapering to a
smaller axially outer end as shown, but can be any desired shape as
long as room is provided for the insertion of the installation tool
10. The seal can have a single or miltiple sealing lip design,
which designs are well-known in the art.
* * * * *